Having contended with miserable weather for much of the track and field season, Monday’s pristine conditions offered schools an opportunity to give some athletes some much-needed action at the Iola High junior varsity meet.
It also has its down side, as Iola High freshman Valaree Burtnett learned the hard way.
Burtnett, who competes in high jump and pole vault for Iola’s junior varsity squad, had perhaps the best day day of competition of the season, but went without a medal.
That’s because several schools entered varsity athletes who were short on competition this season because of canceled meets.
Iola’s meet featured primarily JV competitors from several Class 4A schools and varsity athletes from schools from 1A through 3A.
So, while Burtnett cleared a personal best 4 feet, 8 inches in the high jump, she had to go up against three varsity performers and was relegated to fifth place.
In the pole vault, Burtnett cleared the 7-foot barrier, but again went without a medal because two other 4A schools entered varsity athletes.
“Poor Valaree,” Smith said. “She had an excellent vault but got no medal. The other coaches did not complain. I think everyone was just happy to have a warm track meet.”
On the boys’ side, Iola’s 4×800-meter relay team brought home a gold medal. Team members Jeremy Spears, Jacob Cooper, Travis Hermstein and Jonathan Tidd completed the race in 9 minutes, 38.4 seconds.
On the girls’ side, Iola’s Emery Driskel earned gold the 300-meter hurdles and silver in the 100-meter hurdles. Cassie Delich took second behind Driskel in the 300 hurdles. The pair teamed with Abigail Taylor and Mikaela Platt to take second in the 4×400-meter relay.
Iola’s 4×800-meter relay team of Platt, Shannon Vogel, Taylor and Megan Smith earned a bronze in 12:33.
“This was a much bigger meet than in previous years,” Smith said. “We have always allowed unlimited entries in every event, and we had four new schools this year.”
Much of the behind-the-scenes work was handled by IHS and Iola Middle School students, Smith said.
“They were invaluable and did a great job,” he said. “Our kids did a great job being ready to compete in their events. This is typically a meet where a lot of JV kids are able to score a few points. But with 14 schools — nine of them 4A — and the smaller schools having some super individuals, a lot of JV competitors were shut out.”
The boys discus alone had 36 entries. “We had eight heats in the boys 100-meters and five heats of the girls 100,” Smith said.
Among the other schools competing were Humboldt, Marmaton Valley and Crest.
Boys
100-meter dash
1. Daylen Houk, MV, 11.47
2. Rene Rodriguez, C, 11.62
8. Ethan Bartlett, H, 11.99
200-meter dash
1. Houk, MV, 23.76
2. Rodriguez, C, 24.24
3. ? Keazer, H, 24.41
5. Carlos Gonzales, MV, 24.51
400-meter dash
1. ? Keazer, H, 54.45
3. Lucas Hamlin, MV, 57.89
5. Jeremy Spears, I, 58.62
800-meter run
1. Andrew Keazer, H, 2:14.29
2. Wyatt Bolinger, MV, 2:18.56
3. Rayden Goltry, H, 2:19.38
5. Jacob Cooper, I, 2:22.85
3200-meter run
2. Chance Stevenson, MV, 11:41.26
8. Travis Hermstein, I, 13:02.37
4×100-meter dash
1. MV, 46.87
5. Humboldt, 49.21
4×400-meter relay
1. Humboldt, 3:39.29
3. Crest, 3:59.61
6. Iola, 4:11.85
8. MV, 4:18.29
4×800-meter relay
1. Iola, 9:37.40
4. MV, 10:08.50
110-meter hurdles
1. Sam Aguirre, H, 16.16
3. Codi Vermillion, C, 19.77
4. Stevenson, MV, 19.79
7. Logan Roseberry, H, 20.96
8. Hayden Boring, H, 21.82
300-meter hurdles
1. Dylan Sedlack, C, 43.05
2. Aguirre, H, 43.45
3. Gonzales, MV, 44.54
5. Roseberry, H, 51.77
7. Kyle Doolittle, H, 53.55
8. Brady Newman, MV, 54.25
Long jump
1. Tanner McNutt, H, 21’1 1/2”
2. Houk, MV, 19’10 1/2”
3. Bryce Isaac, H, 19’3”
4. Rodriguez, C, 10’
Shot put
6. Kalob Cleaver, H, 35’6 1/2”
Discus
7. Cleaver, H, 92’6”
Triple jump
1. Isaac, H, 38’3 1/2”
3. Gonzales, MV, 37’11”
4. Stevenson, MV, 36’7”
6. Hamlin, MV, 35’8”
Javelin
1. Jordan Morton, C, 174’7”
3. McNutt, H, 139’5”
6. Evan Godderz, C, 114’7”
High jump
5. Newman, MV, 5’2”
Pole vault
6. Travis Hermstein, I, 8’6”
Girls
100-meter dash
4. Shayli Ellis, H, 14.06
400-meter dash
4. Abigail Taylor, I, 1:08.02
800-meter run
1. Sheri Middleton, H, 2:42.71
4. Shannon Vogel, I, 2:51.19
1600-meter run
4. Ashtynn Louk, MV, 6:36.06
4×100-meter relay
5. Iola, 58.19
6. Humboldt, 58.49
8. Crest, 1:00.88
4×400-meter relay
2. Iola, 4:34.45
4×800-meter relay
3. Iola, 12:33
100-meter hurdles
2. Emery Driskel, I, 17.42
4. Cassie Delich, I, 18.53
300-meter hurdles
1. Driskel, 54.02
2. Delich, 54.85
Long jump
3. Ellis, H, 14’9”
8. Tiffany Jackman, C, 13’3”
Shot put
1. Kurston Gilliland, C, 38’
2. Regan Morrison, C, 28’1 1/2”
3. Krystal Cooper, C, 27’
4. Jessica Oakley, I, 26’
8. Rachel Crays, H, 24’4”
Discus
1. Gilliland, C, 98’7”
3. Morrison, 80’1”
5. Oakley, I, 78’
8. Cooper, C, 73’2”
Triple jump
3. Ellis, H, 39’6”
6 (tie). Louk, MV, 38’4”
Javelin
1. Gilliland, C, 116’10”
5. Emmalee Seabolt, C, 82’9”
High jump
5. Valaree Burtnett, I, 48’8”
8. Seabolt, C, 4’4”
Athletes hit their mark at JV meet
